Ectoshots
by cocoa.11
Summary: One shots of adventures with Danny Phantom and his friends! First chapter is up. Rated T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

I should not be writing these. I have other stories I should be doing but here I am writing oneshots instead. For anyone reading the other stories I made here is my apology: I am terribly sorry for taking forever but I am just trying to make them better; especially my GF story. There is just so many directions I want to take each story and I am taking a long time. I'm sorry.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom

Dani never understood why Danny loved stargazing at night. She never could see how he would stay up on the roof for hours just staring at the stars. One night she decides to sneak up on Danny only to find a sad Halfa.

" _The strongest people are not those who show their strength in front of us but who win battles we know nothing about"- Jonathan Harnisch_

Stargazer

"Hey Danni I'm going up to the roof," Danny Fenton said, hovering off the floor, "You'll be fine down here right?"

I looked at Danny and shook my head, smiling as he drifted up through the ceiling. Sighing, I put my feet on the plush purple couch and flipped through TV channels.

Life was amazing. Well, as amazing as it could get for a half ghost clone living with my cousin when his parents weren't home. When Danny's parents were home though I go around the world experiencing the sights and messing with people. The only thing that I worry about would be Vlad and to stay away from Wisconsin, but Danny always reassured me that he would protect me from Vlad. Danny protects everyone though. See, Danny he is a hero. The hero of Amity Park against anything ghostly and on occasion from normal crimes like burglaries. The town knows him as many names but most call him Phantom. Their own ghostly protector. Danny is a halfa like me. Half ghost and half human. His ghost side Phantom is respected while his human side is treated like trash. Danny Fenton, son of Amity Parks leading 'ghost hunters'. He gets bullied constantly and is overlooked as the clumsy looser of Caper High.

Life was amazing for me, but not for Danny. He always argued with me about not being tired, or hurt. He always reassured me he was fine even if he was stitching a long bleeding wound. Life was not fair to those who deserve it. And if anyone deserved a good life, it would be Danny.

Sighing again I sat down the remote and swung my legs off the couch. Looking down at my hands I ignited a small ectoblast and played with it in my hands. The green swirls danced in my palms harmlessly.

"Not fair," I repeated this time out loud as I went into the kitchen.

On the table sat an open twelve-pack of cherry coke and I swiftly flew over and grabbed two. Maybe a couple minutes of stargazing wouldn't hurt.

Flying up to the ceiling I phased through until my head poked out of the roof. Danny was sitting on the edge with his legs against his chest and arm around his legs holding them close. Deciding to keep hidden a while longer I slowly hovered over to him. His head looked up at the stars with a dead look, blue eyes gazing across the cloudless sky. The light from the stars illuminated his face and his dark circles stood out prominently. My heart clenched at the sight. How could anyone be hateful toward Danny?

A flicker of movement caught my attention and I refocused on Danny. He was wiping a hand acrossed his face and let out a shuddering sigh. He let out a shaky laugh and rubbed his face again.

 _He's trying not to cry._

Even when he thinks no one is watching, he still puts on his facade of being ok.

Another shaky sigh comes out and tears flow down his cheeks and drop onto the roof. I reach out to touch his shoulder but pull back at the last second. Dropping my invisibility I sit beside him. He turns to me and then quickly hides his face.

"Before you ask," He mumbles into his hands, "I'm fine."

There were those words again. _I'm fine._ Whatever.

"You know," I turn toward him and let my lips curl into a frown, "I'm going to ban you from saying ' _I'm fine'_."

Danny kept his head down and I sighed. Why won't he accept that it's ok to not be fine? _Because he thinks he has to be strong all the time because he's the hero._ Of course he would think something like that. It's always the same thing with Danny. I glance at him again and see him in the same position.

"You can either sit and sulk or you can tell me what on your mind Danny," I say while opening one of the cans, "Your choice, though I favor the second option."

He finally takes his head out of his hands to glare at me and I stick my tongue out at him. Danny stretched his back and three loud cracks came. I worriedly glanced at his face, but he showed no pain.

"Well," He said swinging his legs over the roof, "I'll have you know there is nothing on my mind and I am fine. Thank you very much."

He tossed me a playful grin but I did not return the smile. Glancing down inside the can I sloshed the carbonated liquid inside. Fake. Fake. Fake. Stupid hero-complexion. Sighing yet again I looked up into the night sky for advice on how to deal with stubborn half ghost teenagers. The stars twinkled back as if saying they had no idea. I let out a chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Danny asked head turned to a side.

"You. And you're not funny you're stubborn," I stared at him intently, "Why do you have to deny that you're clearly not fine!"

"Dani I am-"

"No!" I stood up and pointed an accusing finger at him, "I swear if you say you are fine again I will shove you into a thermos with Skulker!"

Danny stared up at me. As if I flipped a switch he went from fake smiles to the Danny that was crying on the roof just minutes before. I let my shoulders fall and the anger I felt a moment ago vanished. I sat back down and let my head fall.

"Danny I'm sorry I just want to help and I can't do that when you pretend that you're fine." I said and glanced at Danny.

Danny was staring at the stars again. He seemed older than a 14 year old with the star light on his face. He seemed at peace with himself as if this was the only thing he needed in his life. My fingers fidgeted with the can in my hands. There were so many things I wanted to ask Danny, but when he didn't want to talk, Danny would not talk. I opened my mouth to talk but Danny spoke first.

"I am fine," Danny said through clenched teeth, "I am always fine."

Looking at him my anger came back, yet I said nothing. Why did he do this to himself? Why does he insist he is always ' _fine'?_ Clearly, Danny was not fine. So why does he insist he is?

"You don't always have to be 'fine' Danny," I said sitting the can down, "I know you think that since you're the hero you have to always stay strong and be 'fine', but you don't. It's ok to cry."

He glared at his hands, "I don't cry."

I grabbed his hands and squeezed. Stubborn. He was about to cry. His hands were slightly shaking and he blinked rapidly. Liar.

"Whatever," I let go of his hands, picking up the abandoned can once again.

We sat in silence together. Danny sat looking at the stars, still blinking rapidly and his hands were clenched together. He was about to cry. He needed to cry. He needed to talk to someone.

"Dani," Danny said suddenly still gazing at the stars," Have I ever told you why I like stargazing?"

"Umm," I reply, glancing back at Danny, "No."

Danny let his head fall only to bring it back up to the stars. His gaze shifted over to me and a tear leaked out. He looked alone and scared in the midnight light. I took notice how he has grown muscle since our last time together. A new scar stretched from his left elbow to just below the sleeve of his shirt. His jeans were ripped at the knee and his red converse were dingy. I looked back to his face. His jaw was set as he looked back to the stars once again.

"Well," He bit his lip before continuing, "You know how you feel when traveling right?"

I looked at Danny but he would not meet my gaze. What does this have to do with me traveling?

"Yeah, I feel free and can be myself wherever I go," I said looking at Danny "What does that have to do with stargazing though Danny?"

He sat for a moment just staring at the stars suppressing his tears in. He tore his gaze away to look at me.

"Everything."

He looked back at the stars leaving me to my thoughts.

"Daniel Fenton," I said looking up at the stars, "You make no scene to me at all."

He chuckled weakly and looked at me and I returned to look. I saw right through his attempt to laugh and lighten the mood. I knew that deep inside the mind of Daniel Fenton he was hurting. I knew that he was broken and alone.

"We've got all night Danny," I say opening the other can of soda beside me and offer it to Danny, "I just want to help."

He studied the can doubtfully. Carefully he took the can from my hand and took a long sip. He sat the can down beside him and frowned.

"Guess I'm not getting out of this one huh?" He said studying his feet.

I shook my head, "Nope."

"So," I clapped my hands, "What does traveling and stargazing have in common?"

He looked at me then at the stars then back to me and the stars again. He sighed and rubbed a hand on the back of his neck. Nervous tick.

"Stargazing is what I do to feel free I guess," He shrugged," Like how traveling makes you feel free."

Danny gazed back my way and continued, "It's just…Just look at them. The stars I mean," Danny said quickly, "They shine so bright even in the darkest nights; especially on the really dark nights."

"I just…Well I…I've always wanted to be able to go up into space and see the stars from up there but with my life and my grades that'll never happen especially since of the ghost hunting, but I can still dream right?"

I stared at Danny as he struggled through his statement. Silent tears raced down his face against his will. He took a shuddering breath before chuckling. I frowned and shook my head. Everyone knew Danny wanted to be an astronaut, but he never shown this to anyone. The broken side.

"But that's not it," He said wiping a hand acrossed his face, "You know that though don't you."

It was a statement not a question. I shook my head willing him to continue. Danny never talked like this to anyone. Not even Sam or Tucker.

He nodded as more tears came, "It's just a lot," He said, rubbing a hand through his hair, "With the secrets, grades, ghosts, and just…everything."

"I…It's hard keeping up with everything, this way…The way I live is dangerous and I could die…Well, the rest of the way that is," He gestures to himself, "I hate that Sam, Tucker, and Jazz are part of this. I constantly worry about them and if they ever got hurt…"

When Danny stopped talking I looked at him to see him openly crying. He let out a heartbreaking sob and I scooted over to hold him. He melted into the embrace holding onto my shirt tightly.

"Danny, it's ok," I said, rubbing circles onto his back, "No one is going to get hurt."

"That's the thing Dani!" He exclaimed pulling away from my embrace, "They already have! They've gave up their lives for me! Sam and Tuck! They should be going to college having a future, but now they won't be able to go to college because of their grades and they may not have a future if I don't protect them!"

Danny didn't say the words, but it lingered in the air. _They could die._ He pulled his legs up to his chest and stared up at the stars. I sat there dumbfounded as Danny cried. I never realized how much Danny put on his shoulders. How much pressure he put on himself.

"I try, damn it, I try so hard to keep it together but it's hard," He gazed to the stars, "I always end up here, on this roof, watching these same stars."

"I'm sorry," I say as I stand up," I…I'll be inside if you need me."

He stood up as well and grabbed my arm. I stared into his lifeless blue eyes as he swallowed hard. A tear rolled down his cheek and fell to the ground. I felt heavy with the sad atmosphere weighing me down.

"Don't be sorry, I don't need or want to be pitied, "He let go of my arm and sat down, "I…Don't tell anyone what I said, I shouldn't have said that much, I'm sorry."

I took a deep breath and rubbed my face, "Is there more?" I asked quietly.

"When is there not more Dani?" He said still staring at the stars, "But, I'm fine."

I looked down at him and noticed the small straight lines decorating the underside of his arms. One was slowly bleeding as if it had recently been picked at. I swallowed hard and a tear rolled down my face.

"Yeah," I agreed turning intangible, "You're fine."

Then I sunk to the living room and laid on the coach trying to ignore the sobs I heard coming from the roof above.


	2. Chapter 2

Following the events after "The Ultimate Enemy" Danny has trouble sleeping and is having a hard time processing what happened. He dares not to say anything to Jazz, Sam, or Tucker about the events that happened.

 _"_ _Sending love to everyone who's trying their best to heal from things that they don't discuss."-_ _Unknown_

Sleeping Pills

 _"_ _Because… I promised my family!"_

 _"_ _You promised? HA!" The being laughed at my statement, "No matter what you do Danny; you will always turn into me."_

 _I laid there on the ground bleeding and broken. Unable to move due to fear for my family and friends who were tapped in the Nasty Burger which was about to explode. Too tired to be able to turn into my ghost half and save them, and even if I was able to turn into my ghostly self my evil self wouldn't allow me to go save them. He was right all along. I can't save them._

 _He leaned down and grabbed me by the front of my shirt and brought me to his eye level. His red eyes bore into my scared blues ones, "Like I said Danny, you can't stop me from happening," He threw me back down onto the ground and I groaned in pain, "I am inevitable."_

 _How can I fight the inevitable? I am powerless to stop this. I am not strong enough. I… I failed them. My family…My friends._

 _"_ _Don't look so glum Danny," Phantom sneered, "In no time you won't have those pesky human feelings in your way and this won't mean anything to you."_

 _Shaking my head was the only thing I could do. My body is bloodied and broken, and I cannot waste any more energy to even talk. I turn my head to take one last glance at my loved ones, they are petrified. Jazz and Mom are crying, Dads trying to stay calm and break free of the bonds keeping him in place, Sam and Tucker look fearfully at me._

 _This is all of my fault…if only I hadn't told them I was half ghost from the very beginning. Maybe…just maybe they would've been saved from this terrible fate. Maybe they would've been able to see another day. But I was too weak, I can't save them._

 _I turn away, unable to look at their expressions anymore. I failed. I couldn't keep them safe._

 _Phantom kneels down beside me and leans down to my ear, "Look at them Danny, look how you_ **promised** _to keep them safe!"_

 _I kept my head down, tears began to leak out of my eyes. Shame and sadness overwhelms me._

 _He grabs me roughly once again, making me face my loved ones, "Watch Danny, this is my favorite part…"_

 _I am frozen in shock as the Nasty Burger explodes with my family and friends in it. I let out a scream and try to tear away from my evil self, but I am too weak against him._

 _"_ _Danny."_

 _"_ _Danny…wake up"_

 _"_ _Danny!"_

"AHH!" I instantly shoot out of my bed and bring my arms up in front of me in a fighting stance. My breathing is ragged and my heart is pounding against my chest.

It takes me a moment to realize that I am in my room. No ghosts, no crazy evil future self trying to waste my family. Just me in my room.

I hear someone clear their throat to my right and whip my head to the side. Jazz is standing there. She is trying to look as if she is unimpressed with how I reacted to her waking me up, but there is concern hiding underneath it. I smile nervously at her and get down off of my bed.

"Are you okay?" Jazz asks as I try to regain my breath.

I turn toward her and glare, she puts her head down and murmurs, "Sorry. Standard question."

I take my time to get myself untangled from the mess of blankets I'm trapped in. As I do Jazz stares at me. Obviously she is trying to do her sister psychoanalyze thingy that she always does when she deems something wrong with me. She's never wrong about that though, the whole something being wrong with me part. She can always tell that part, be it sisterly intuition or her psychology analysis. Depending on what was bothering me I would give in to her and let her diagnose me with her psychology crap, but not this. I won't share this with anyone. No one can know about that evil future version of me. No one can help me through all the emotional trauma of what happened. I don't want Sam, Tuck, or Jazz to know about that.

"Are you just gonna stand there and try to analyze me or are you gonna leave so I can get ready for school," My back cracked loudly as I slowly stood up from my bed.

As I stood, Jazz sat down on my bed looking up at me expecting me to explain what I had been dreaming about, "Danny what were you dreaming about?"

I treaded carefully over the clothing and papers on the floor over to my dresser to find a pair of jeans and sweatshirt to put on for the day. With my back turned away from her I utter, "Nothing."

Jazz sighs deeply, "Danny, you've been having a lot of nightmares recently since the whole C.A.T thing, and you still haven't told anyone about what really happened," her hand is suddenly on my shoulder and it makes me jump a little, "Just like that Danny, you haven't been yourself, you're jumpy and closed off from everyone that cares about you. We just want to help you."

"Yea, I know Jazz," I turn and face her sliding her hand off my shoulder, "But nothing is wrong, I'm good; great actually."

Jazz purses her lips and I know that I'm about to get an earful but thankfully my ghost sense goes off saving me from her.

In a flash of bright light my ghostly half is present and naturally I float a few inches off the floor.

Pretending I have a hat on, I tip it in Jazz's direction, "Duty calls!"

Giving her no time to say anything else I zoom out the window to find the threat that triggered my ghost sense.

"Dude," Tucker nudges my arm at my locker, "You look like shit."

After dealing with the ghostly threat that saved me from a lecture about opening up to Jazz, I flew back home and quickly threw on random clothes and rushed to school so I wouldn't be late… again. During all that time I had not been able to look at myself in a mirror, also I didn't even bother to brush my windblown hair from after my flight. So, as Tucker stated that I looked like shit I did not try to defend myself. I knew I looked bad. From the lack of brushed hair, bags under my eyes, and disheveled clothes looking like shit was the best I could do this morning.

"Yea, I was kinda in a rush this morning" I shrugged Tuck off and closed my locker.

Turning my head to him I saw the frown on his face. There was something bothering no doubt. Just as I was about to ask him what the matter was a rough hand grabbed me and pushed me into the locker behind me. Dash Baxter. For some reason I have always been his favorite punching bag, and here it is again.

"Hey Fenturd! You look like shit-like worse than usual- but, oh well, that not my problem." Dash's face was in mine and his breath reeked as if he didn't brush his teeth, "I got a D- on my biology test, looks like your wailing is coming early today."

Now, if Dash had been a ghost or some kind of criminal I could have kicked his ass into next year, but he isn't. It wouldn't be right to use my powers against him so I always take the hits, all the jabs he makes, even all of the jokes he makes about my family. So when he reared back to punch me in the face I did not try to block it, or hit first. I took it, then another hit, another one, and another one until he quit when a certain Goth came running through the hall and threatens him in her own Sam Manson way.

"Danny come on let's get to class," Sam holds a hand out for me and I gladly accept it, "We need to talk also."

Dash was still there though. Glaring at me intensely.

"Always have to have your friends stick up for yourself, huh, Dan?"

I whip my head towards him. My blood runs cold. That name is not mine, it never will be. That was his name. In my stupor I grumble out, "Don't ever call me that again."

Sam puts a waring hand on my shoulder and it grounds me, "Danny, calm down, we need to get to class just ignore him."

"Yea, Dan," Dash sneers in my direction, "You need to get to class."

I break away from Sam's grasp and get in Dash's face, "Don't ever call me that again."

Dash grins, "What? Call you Dan? Why I think it suits you Fenton."

 _You don't get it. Do you? I'm still here. Still exist. That means you still turn into me._

I grab Dash's collar and his eyes go wide, "I WILL NEVER TURN INTO HIM!"

I shove him onto the ground hard and let out the breath gathered up in my chest. Dash gets up and moves to attack but I block his barrage of swings. He was always sloppy with his hits, always relying on his brute strength against people weaker than him. The second he stops his pointless swings I take one swing right under his chin knocking him off his feet, unconscious.

I stand there for a moment, taking deep breaths to calm me down. Then it hits me. I did that to him, I hurt him on purpose. Falling to my knees I let out a strangled cry. Suddenly, Sam and Tucker are both at my side lifting me back up to my feet, but I can't walk. Shock has my senses fried, I can hear Sam and Tuck saying something to me but it does not register. I am being shoved into a janitor's closet when a hard slap comes to my face. It stings and brings me back to the present.

"I won't become him I swear. I-I'm not him."

"Shut up for one second Danny!" Sam screeches in my face covering my mouth.

She rubs her face and I can see her shaking. Tucker is pale in the face and is typing on his phone.

"Okay, I was going to wait to have this talk but after that-" Sam jabs a thumb in the direction of where Dash would be, "-We are talking right now."

Tucker gets up from his spot on a bucket and opens the door to reveal Jazz. He shuts the door behind her and regains his spot on the bucket. Jazz simply sits across from me beside Sam on the floor Indian style.

"Danny, you gotta talk to us," Sam pleads looking at me, "We're worried about you, you've been distant, twitchy, on-guard-"

"You haven't been sleeping either, you've been waking up in the middle of the night screaming," Jazz interrupts Sam to finish.

"And this all started after the thing with the C.A.T…" Tucker whispered silently.

All three looked at me expectantly, but I can't tell them what happened, what I became, "Guys, there isn't anything wrong, like Jazz said I haven't got a lot of sleep lately, ghost activity has just been really high here lately."

"Danny, stop." Jazz looks as if she will cry, "We want to help, but we can't if you don't tell us."

She puts her head down and whispers to herself but I still catch her words, "I just want my baby brother to be okay."

"Jazz…" I look at her intently, "Just… a lot happened… I can't talk about it, it's one of those things."

"Bull shit Danny!" Sam fumes at me throwing her arms in the air, "We care about you dammit! There is not one thing that you shouldn't be able to talk to us about!"

"No, Sam," I scratch the back of my head letting out a deep breath, "This- this is different."

"Dude, we just want to help you, tell us how it's different so we can understand." Tucker has his hat off and it fidgeting with it.

"It's different because," I rub my hands across my face, "Because you all died, and it was my fault… and I became someone horrible."

"Dan?" Sam asks and I flinch visibly.

"Yes."

We sat in the janitor's room for a long time after that in silence. Jazz was the first to leave saying something about needing to go to her calculus class. Then it was just the three of us. Sam, Tucker, and me. Just like the beginning. We sat there until the bell rang signaling that school was finally over. Even after the bell we all sat there together in silence.

A chill ran down my spine and an icy cold mist exited through my lips. I began to stand and then transformed. I floated in front of them for a moment and about spoke up when Sam beat me to it, "Danny, we are always going to be here for you, and we want to help in any way we can, but you have to let us help. You have to tell us what is going on."

I nod to her, "Yea…"

"Sleepover at my place tonight, tons of pizza, horror movie marathon, and sleeping pills for you Fenton." Sam stated with authority.

"Yes ma'am" Tucker saluted toward Sam which made a little chuckle escape from me.

"Roger that" I sent my own salute toward Sam before flying out of the school toward the threat that came to my town.


End file.
